Quinnipiac University senior and Merritt Centennials grad Brandon Wong has been signed to a professional contract by the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins, the top affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings.
“I am excited for Brandon and the opportunity he will have with Grand Rapids and the Detroit Red Wings organization,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said. “Brandon has been an outstanding player here at Quinnipiac University and we appreciate all his efforts both on and off the ice.”
Wong was a prolific scorer in the BCHL, where he tallied 214 points in 179 games split between the Centennials, Powell River Kings and Surrey Eagles. He led the league in scoring as a 19-year old in Merritt that when he tallied 50 goals and 116 points.
Wong finished the 2009-10 season as the NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey scoring leader in power-play goals, with 14 in 40 games at a 0.35 per game clip. The senior wing totaled 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points in 40 games played for the year. His 1.02 points per game ranked 61st in the nation.
For his career, Wong totaled 68 goals and 75 assists for 143 points. His 68 goals rank 2nd all-time at Quinnipiac at the Division I level while his 75 assist rank eighth in the Bobcats’ DI history. His 143 points are good for the fifth most in Quinnipiac’s Division I history. All-time, he ranks seventh in career goals, 16th in career assists and ninth in career points.
“Brandon's a highly-skilled center, and we'd like to see if he can contribute offensively at the AHL level,” Griffins General Manager Bob McNamara said. “He was able to do it at the college level with a strong program and in a good league, so we thought we'd bring him in and give him an opportunity.”
Last season, Wong saw limited playing time due to injuries, totaling nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points. Against Union in the 2008-09 season-opener at the Mutual of Omaha Stampede tournament, Wong had a natural hat trick, scoring three times in the first period. He totaled a season-high three assists against Niagara before missing 11 games with an injury. He returned for the Bobcats’ ECAC Hockey Tournament First Round series against Colgate to score the game-winning goals, in overtime, in the first and third game of the series to send Quinnipiac to the ECAC Hockey Quarterfinals.
As a sophomore, Wong led the team points (37) and assists (24) while ranking third in goals scored (13). He led the team with 14 points during a 10-game win streak, Quinnipiac’s longest in its Division I history. He also totaled two game-winners that season, one against Western Michigan in the first game of the Vermount Catamount Cup tournament, which Quinnipiac went on to win.
Wong is also the most decorated freshman in Quinnipiac history, taking home the 2007 ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year award, and earning ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team and Third Team honors. He also earned the George Carens Award by the New England Hockey Writers as the top freshman in the region and was also named a Freshman All-American by Inside College Hockey. An All-Rookie Team selection by United States College Hockey Online, Wong was also honored as a runner-up for the National Rookie of the Year award. That year, he led Quinnipiac with 27 goals and 44 points, while also leading ECAC Hockey in goals, and registering an NCAA Division I-best three hat tricks.
